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How to handle living in an Arizona flood zone

If you live in a flood zone, even here in the arid desert, you have some risks that are part of living in your home. Anywhere it rains, it can flood, and floods are the most common natural disaster. A flood is a general and temporary condition where two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or mud flow. Many conditions can result in a flood:, overtopped levees, outdated or clogged drainage systems and rapid accumulation of rainfall.

All it takes is a few inches of water to cause major damage to your home and its contents, requiring you to find a Phoenix water damage repair company. Also, if you’re home has been marked as being in a flood zone, it means that you’ll be required to potentially pay thousands of dollars in flood insurance. Also, flood risk isn’t just based on history. It’s based on a number of factors, including rainfall, topography, flood-control measures, and changes due to building and development.

If you’re already living in a flood zone, you can make your home resilient via renovations that minimize the effect of floodwater following these tips:

Move vulnerable elements like furnaces, water heaters and electric panels to higher ground when building or remodeling. If you have a basement, don’t keep a giant plasma TV, gaming center or collection of antiquarian books down there.

Get flood insurance. Flood losses are often not covered under standard renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policies. The good news is that often you can purchase flood-specific insurance. In the United States, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by Fema, provides federally subsidized plans in locales that agree to implement its floodplain management ordinances.

As we saw late last September, Phoenix is susceptible to heavy rainfall that can cause a lot of damage. Just because you haven’t experienced a flood in the past, doesn’t mean you won’t in the future.